Still, neither of those cities charge the area’s highest property tax rate: That distinction goes to Lowell, where the owner of a $150,000 home will pay $1,262 in city tax this year (including a Kent District Library levy).

To see how Kent and Ottawa cities rank - based on how much city tax is owed by someone with a $150,000 home and a $50,000 income - scroll through the photo gallery above.

Included in your property tax bills are county taxes, school taxes and, in some municipalities, taxes for public transit or senior services. These all vary by community and often are different even within a particular community.

In our rankings above, we’ve compared just the taxes levied to fund city services (including taxes for libraries and pools).

We’ve also incorporated city income tax into the rankings because Grand Rapids and Walker each levy both property tax and income tax.

Rankings will differ based on property and income values, so use the databases below to calculate tax using customized amounts. The first form computes property and income tax for Grand Rapids and Walker, the two area cities that have a local income tax. The second form computes property tax for the other 13 cities in Kent and Ottawa counties.

Use the "-- All Cities --" or "-- Both cities --" options to compare cities.

GRAND RAPIDS AND WALKER
These two cities tax both property and income. Enter your estimated home and income values, and the database will calculate your property's taxable value and the total tax you would pay based on each city's millage and income tax rates. Note: When entering values, do not use commas. For example, write 150000 instead of 150,000.

ALL OTHER CITIES
These cities tax only property, not income. Enter your estimated home value, and the database will calculate your property's taxable value and the tax you would pay based on each city's millage rate. Note: When entering property and income values, do not use commas. For example, write 150000 instead of 150,000.